From AKC Canine Health Foundation
If you are a sports fan, or one of the thousands of people who will tear an ACL in your lifetime, you understand how devastating a knee injury can be. A single wrong step can lead to painful surgery, costly treatment, and a long road to recovery.
Dogs face the same risk.
Just like humans, dogs rely on a complex system of ligaments to stabilize the knee. One of the most important is the cranial cruciate ligament, or CCL, which serves a similar function as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in people. When this ligament ruptures, the result is pain, instability, and limited mobility.
Certain breeds, such as Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, and Newfoundlands, are especially prone to this condition. Others, like Greyhounds, rarely experience it. This difference raises an important question. Is the cause purely physical, or does a dog’s genetic makeup play a role?